Friday Faves / vol. 12
Hellooo!!
Well, we finally got COVID over here and boy did it suuuuuuck. Hugo was the first to come down with it over Labor Day weekend, followed by me, and then Mr Rae and the big kids. Nearly a month later, honestly, I’m still recovering. Taking it easy, taking it day by day and trying to best assess what I have the energy for.
For Labor Day weekend, we drove up to northern Michigan with our bikes to try to capture the last few days of summer and spend some time in the sun and by the water (we didn’t realize Hugo had COVID) and I finished my quilted coat. Good thing too; this coat really took my “Shuffles Around the House” and “Sips Tea and Tries to Remember What She Was Just Thinking About” looks up a notch while I was sick. More pics of the finished coat soon, I promise.
Truly though, I am feeling quite a lot better. This weekend we’re going to go and get cider and donuts, and celebrate (belatedly) my sister’s birthday.
In the studio, I’ve been working on developing a couple new patterns - one for knits, one for wovens — and Elli and I are almost finished updating the Beatrix pattern; next step is to send it to testers.
An extra long list of things to share with you…
inspiring: I need a new hobby like I need a hole in the head, but got Rose Pearlman’s Modern Rug Hooking book from the library a couple days ago and I can definitely see how one gets totally hooked (sorry — couldn’t help it).
reading: The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich is riveting. Two days in and I’m nearly finished!
puzzling: I worked FOUR jigsaw puzzles this month — turned out to be the perfect thing for me while recovering — and yes, it was mostly me doing them, despite what Clementine might tell you (though Hugo is demonstrating a talent for puzzling as well). She always jumps in at the very end and victoriously snaps in, like, the last ten pieces, that little stinker. The puzzles were this one (above) and this one (below) from Piecework, and this one and this one from Eboo, all birthday presents
knitting: Almost finished with Anker’s Summer Shirt by PetiteKnit in LeRoo Cotton, purchased at a popup here in Ann Arbor at Spun. This yarn is such a lovely shade of copper and I’m surprised at how much I like this cotton yarn.
watching: the last two seasons of Better Things and…wow. That final season. I have yet to find a show that portrays mothering teens in such a raw, funny, heartbreaking, real way.
looking: through my new pair of glasses (SEE brand). Love the fun stripes.
admiring: I mounted my wool stitch sampler — shown in-progress in this post — and am currently moving it around and auditioning the perfect spot to hang it (see below). Feels good to complete something I started in 2016.
Last weekend my friend Emily hosted a Garden Tour at her house for the Michigan Dahlia Association and invited local friends to come, too. Emily is an all-around artist (pottery, cake-decorating, sewing, crochet), and over the past few years has also become a Dahlia Connoisseur slash Collector. Her garden is amazing. Here’s some photo of her dahlias for you to enjoy (I put my hand in the photo of the yellow dinner plate dahlia so you can see how big it was!!!). Follow her garden exploits on Instagram @emmmylizzzy
